I enjoyed the movie because it was entertaining all the way. It was slick and had interesting characters. The only problem was the last half of it where credibility when flying out the window. The movie is all about supposedly very intelligent people, led by the smartest of the all the group, the only veteran in this college age-dominated cast: "Professor Mickey Rosa," played by Kevin Spacey. Well, Rosa would not do what he did here, for starters, meaning trusting an untrustworthy and revenge-seeking kid. If you've seen the movie you know what I mean. The others in the group wouldn't go along with the renegade - "Ben Campbell" (Jim Sturgess) - either. There is no way this kid is going to totally outsmart the professor, but it makes for good Hollywood dramatics.

There are a bunch of other holes, too, such as wanting to be anonymous but going back to the same place; a ridiculous chase scene through the casino gambling area and kitchen; hand signals that a junior detective could see (and are never changed!) and - maybe the worst - winning tons of money in sessions. Nobody with half a brain would win much at any session, because it draws attention. You win a little here, a little there and go from place-to-place and remain anonymous. This movie is based on a true story, and I can guarantee you that's what the MIT students did in real life - not what you see here.

Still, facts aside, it's still a fun movie to watch and since entertainment is the name of the game with films, it succeeds and I still give it an "8" star rating for that. At no time was I bored and overly insulted at the dumbness that I would have stopped playing the DVD. It will hold your interest and you'll be thoroughly entertained, especially if you don't know a lot about blackjack and how casinos operate.

Oh, as a postscript: they don't beat up "card counters" in back rooms of casinos. If they think you are counting cards, which I don't believe is illegal, they still have the right to kick you out of their establishment.....but they ask you nicely and you are removed from the floor with no big scene or violence. They have your picture, there are security people everywhere, and you aren't allowed back.

So, enjoy the film but don't believe the screenplay.

Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) is a MIT math major looking to get into Harvard School of Medicine. He comes from a poor family and needs to dazzle for a full scholarship. Ben impressed his professor Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey) and is introduced to the professor's secret club. Along with Jill Taylor (Kate Bosworth), Choi (Aaron Yoo), Kianna (Liza Lapira) and Fisher (Jacob Pitts), they hone their card counting skills to beat the casinos at blackjack. It's a great ride until casino pit boss Cole Williams (Laurence Fishburne) catches him.

The premise is interesting. The movie depends on Jim Sturgess and where the movie chose to concentrate on. I'm not thrill about the romance being glued on to this. It feels ill-fitting. If there is one compelling relationship, it should be Ben and the professor. This could have been a great dark character study. Instead it tries to be flashy and cool. The romance drains the edginess out of the movie. Also it would be more compelling to have Ben start off as a more introverted loner. It would allow more room for the character growth and some possible father issues.

Straight A student Jim Sturgess at MIT is having a real problem, he's one of many geniuses trying to get into Harvard Medical School, the cost is going to be over $300.000.00 if he does not get a prized scholarship that several other geniuses are competing for.

So it seems too good to be true when his advanced calculus professor, Kevin Spacey, let's Sturgess in on a little sideline he has going for him. Seems that Spacey has recruited an elite team of his most promising students to work the blackjack tables in Las Vegas, something he used to do himself, but now he's too well known there. Blackjack or 21 he says is the most popular game at the casinos and the one it's easiest to beat if you know how to count the cards.

Counting cards isn't exactly illegal, but something the casino owners do discourage. The discourager is Lawrence Fishburne and he's pretty good at his job, at both spotting and discouraging counters.

Spacey's team consists of Sturgess, Jacob Pitts, Aaron Yoo, Kate Bosworth, and Liza Lapira and all do a good job at convincing you they are actually MIT students and not pretty faces from Hollywood pretending to be geniuses. Spacey of course is his usual fine self.

I particularly liked Pitts's performance as the kid whose jealousy of Sturgess ultimately wrecks the whole operation. 21 is a pretty good film with good location filming on MIT and in Las Vegas giving it an air of authenticity.

You have to love how Sturgess gets the bankroll to Vegas.